From Amber. . .

I’m not too sure about how I should feel towards this book. I mean, when I started out reading, I didn’t like the author’s ideas at all, but then I found myself agreeing to some of her ideas on life as I continued to read. I’m really struggling trying to figure out what she stands behind though, because I find her contradicting herself a lot. I also find that she points and puts the blame on humans rather than pointing the issues out, placing the blame on no one, because it’s no one’s fault really as to why the world functions the way it does. Placing blame suggest that there is no room for change in my opinion.
One statement made in the book was, “We as humans see pretty much what we expect to see.” (158) This is one that I just can’t sit with. This statement to me has blame written all over it. I believe some humans go through life this way but not all, I believe a lot of us go through life seeing what is put in sight, because of many different reasons; whether its just society, culture, race, whatever. Our society as a whole has created things that give humans the right to expect. Well some humans. My family always told me, “Never expect anything.” So I don’t. Which is why I disagree. Expecting is a path to failure and yes some humans do it but a lot more don’t go through life this way. If all humans were this way, there would be no such thing as creativity, change, movement, etc. So yes I, agree that some people don’t live outside the box and see what they expect but I will not let her place everyone in the same grouping, especially being an artist.
I also find myself scattered because her thoughts are scattered throughout the reading. I’m not disliking the book completely because Lappe’ does hold some valid points. “The danger lies in refusing to face fear…courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier.” (165) This for example is a beautiful quote to me. Fear is one of the reasons I can agree with her idea that humans see what they expect. If you have fear all you see and expect to see is failure. There’s nothing to look forward to when living with fear. Courage is what we all need. If we as a community think courage than our world could quickly become a better place. I love that she brought this up. We’re often held back as a community because of fear, which then leaves us “powerless”, as she would say.
I believe this book suggest change in some way. We just need to think positive outside the box, to move towards change. “Where do we go from here?” (224) We can only move forward, because what’s done is done in the world. Living democracy is a must, power and love must combine, fear must disappear and hope must grow.